The Taliban officials have confirmed that they now control 85% of Afghanistan, this week they clashed with the Afghan government on the edge of Kandahar where this movement was born. India’s military of external affairs has confirmed that due to an increase in fighting they have brought back all the India-based personals.
This staff consists of various diplomats, a large number of research and analysis wing operatives, etc. It is still not confirmed whether the staff has been brought to New Delhi or Kabul.
The Taliban’s quick gains have seen their fighters catch key boundary intersections and even assault a provincial capital. Last week Russia also announced that they have closed their consulate which is situated in the Afghan city of Mazar e Sharif. Following the suit, China also evacuated its nationals from the country.
The Taliban’s quick gains lately have raised apprehensions about the security of the capital and its air terminal, with NATO quick to get a crucial leave course to the outside world for foreign diplomats and aid workers.
Read more: Taliban surround Afghan city as commandos launch counterattack
Meanwhile, the Afghan government has installed an anti-government missile system at the airports so that they can counter incoming rockets as they fear that the Taliban offensives might increase in the coming days.
The missile defense system that had been installed by the Afghan government in Kabul was tested this evening.
📸@qadir_sediqi pic.twitter.com/7wIfC7OH6V
— Ezzatullah Mehrdad (@EzzatMehrdad) July 11, 2021
India left alone?
With the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, India has no one to garner support from. Their sudden departure exposes India’s failed strategy to use American security for their own operations in Afghanistan.
It has been reported that India has invested almost 3 billion USD for the purpose of aid and reconstruction but that now seems to be a wasted action as the US plans a complete withdrawal from the area by the end of August. It has almost been two decades of military presence of the US in a war-ravaged Afghanistan.
The security officials have claimed that the evacuation of Indian staff from Kandahar is a temporary move. The decision was taken due to failed negotiations between the Indian government and the Taliban.
Read more: US planning to evacuate Afghan interpreters before withdrawal?
On Friday, India’s foreign minister called for reduced violence saying the circumstance in the conflict-torn country has an immediate bearing on local security. However, on Saturday an Indian Air Force (IAF) C-17 airplane showed up at Kandahar Airfield at 11 am to convey 40 tons of 122mm ordnance shells.
Another IAF C-17 airplane was seen at Kabul Airfield at about 5 pm on Sunday to dispatch another 40 tons of 122mm gunnery shells transfer. These airplanes, which had withdrawn from Jaipur and Chandigarh, were used to evacuate Indian authorities from Afghanistan. Trucks stacked with Indian weapons were seen on the streets of Kabul.
As indicated by Afghanistan’s Tolo News, India has opened channels of correspondence with the initiative of the Taliban, denoting “a critical shift” in New Delhi’s stance of not engaging with the group.
Read more: How India lost Afghanistan to Pakistan?
At a public interview in Moscow on Friday, Taliban negotiator Shahabuddin Delawar said that “85% of Afghanistan’s domain” is under the group’s control, including approximately 250 of the country’s 398 districts. Therefore India has been left with no other option other than to comply with the Taliban’s leadership.